Vehicle window regulator



Feb. 12, 1957 J. PICKLES VEHICLE WINDOW REGULATOR Filed Feb. 12, 1955INVENTOR. Jase/ s.

Unite States VEHICLE WINDOW REGULATOR Joseph Pickles, Dearborn, Mich,assignor to Hupp Corporation, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of VirginiaApplication February 12, 1953, Serial No. 336,555

6 Claims. (Cl. 268-124) This invention relates to vehicle windowregulators, and more particularly to electric motor driven regulators ofthe type having a gear or gear sector connected to the regulator linkageand driven through a power transmission unit.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved windowregulator of the above nature, which includes means by which the windowcan be lifted by grasping it manually in case of power failure, but isprevented from being lowered by manual pressure at all times.

It is another object to provide an improved window regulator havingthese characteristics, in which the above described functions areaccomplished utilizing the standard power transmission unit and otherconventional regulator parts.

Other objects, features, and advantages of the present invention willbecome apparent from the subsequent description, taken in conjunctionwith the accompanying drawings.

In the drawings:

Figure 1 is a side elevational view of a typical electric windowregulator embodying the invention; and

Figure 2 is a detailed elevational view, partly in crosssection andshowing the thrust bearing arrangement for the worm.

Referring to Figure l, a typical electric window regulator 11 is shownof the type, for example, described'and claimed in application SerialNo. 224,945 of Earl M. Barden for Vehicle Window Regulator, filed May 7,1951, and assigned to the assignee of the present application. Thisregulator comprises a unitary mounting plate 12 from which is suspendedan electric motor 13, the motor being connected by a flexible shaft 14with a power transmission unit 15. This unit includes worm reductiongearing, the output of which is connected with gear sector 16 pivotallymounted at 17 on the mounting plate 12. A window regulator arm 18 issecured at one end to gear sector 16 and is connected at its other endby a pin 19 with a slotted bracket 21 secured to window frame 22. Acounterbalance spring 23 is provided for counteracting the weight of thewindow, and it will be seen that by driving motor 13 is oppositedirections gear sector 16 will be rotated counterclockwise to lowerwindow 2 or clockwise to raise the window.

Since the window 24 is not provided with regulating means other thanelectric motor 13, it is desirable that means be provided for closingthe window in cases where the motor 13 is inoperative, for example incases of power failure, so that the car may be locked against entrancefrom the outside. The novel means of this invention provides for manuallifting of the window if even a small part thereof is exposed and can bemanually grasped. At the same time, the invention prevents anypossibility of lowering the window by manual force on the window or aconnected part. The invention is incorporated in the power transmissionunit 15 of the win- 2,781,191 Patented Feb. 12, 1957 dow regulator,which is shown in the enlarged view of Figure 2. This unit has anenclosing housing 25 and a cover plate 26, these parts enclosing a worm27 and a worm gear 28. Worm 27 is mounted on a worm shaft 29 which isconnected to motor 13 by flexible coupling 14, and the worm meshes withworm gear 28 which is mounted on a shaft 31. Output pinion 32 shown indotted lines in Figure 2 is secured to one end of shaft 31 and mesheswith gear sector 16. Worm shaft 29 is rotatably supported by bearingmeans comprising a pair of bushings 33 and 34, preferably of bronze orsimilar material, which are held within rectangular portion 35 ofhousing 25. Bushings 33 and 34 are held against movement by pins 36 and37 respectively, and the housing adjacent bushing 33 has an end wallenclosure 38 so that the parts may be assembled through the opposite endof housing portion 35. The helix angle and pitch of worm 27 and wormgear 28 are such that disregarding outside frictional forces, worm 27can be either the driving member or the driven member. In other words,assuming there are no outside retarding forces other than in motor 13,worm 27 can be driven by rotating Worm gear 28, for example by a forceexerted to lower or raise window 24. The invention provides means bywhich this reversibility of the worm and worm gear can be made effectiveonly in one direction, that is, when raising the window, but is madeineffective when it is attempted to lower the window.

The means for accomplishing this purpose comprises the thrust bearingsupports for worm 27, which is secured to the worm shaft by means of pin39. The arrangement is such that the end face 41 of the worm 27 isengageable with the end face 42 of bushing 34, whereas the opposite endface 43 of the Worm 27 is held from engagement with end face 44 ofbushing 33. An antifriction ball thrust member 45 is disposed betweentheend of shaft 29 adjacent bushing 33 and wall 38 of the housing. In thismanner, it will be seen that due to the inherent playin the worm shaftsupports, the engagement of surfaces 41 and 42 when worm gear 28 isurged clockwise willresult in sufiicient frictional contact to preventrotation of .worm 27. However, when worm gear 28 is urged in acounterclockwise direction, surfaces 41 and 42 willno longer be forcedinto contact, and the thrust load will 'be taken by ball thrust bearing45 which acts as an anti-friction member. The worm gear 28 can thereforebe readily rotated in a counterclockwise direction, turning worm 27,worm shaft 29 and electric motor 13. r

In actual practice, the parts used in constructing the device of thisinvention can for the most part be those ordinarily used in themanufacture of a power transmission unit of the type shown. It is merelynecessary to shorten the length of bushing 33 so that it will no longerbe engageable with end face 43 of the worm 27. At the same time, a ballthrust member 45 is disposed in appropriate facing recesses in end Wall38 of the housing and in the end of shaft 29.

While it will be apparent that the preferred embodiment of the inventionherein disclosed is well calculated to fulfill the objects above stated,it will be appreciated that the invention is susceptible tomodification, variation and change without departing from the properscope or fair meaning of the subjoined claims. a

What is claimed is:

l. A window regulator comprising a reversible electric motor, a wormdriven by said motor, a worm gear operatively meshing with said worm,the shape of said worm and Worm gear teeth being such as to normallypermit said worm gear to drive said worm in either direction, linkagemeans connected to said Worm gear for moving a window to. either aclosed or open position, an antifriction thrust support at one end ofsaid worm, and'a frictional thrust support at the opposite end of saidworrm 'said' frictional thrust support preventing said worm gear fromdriving said worm when the worm gear is "urged in a window-openingdirection;

2. In a window regulatona reversible electric motor,

a worm driven by said motor, a worm' gear operatively connected tosaidworm, the shape of said worm and worm gear teeth being such astopermitsaid worm gear to normally tdrive said worm in eitherdirectiomiinraage means for connecting said worm gear, to a movablewrndow, said worm gear being rotated in one direction when said windowisclosed "and in the opposite direction when said window is *opened, apair of bushings supporting it the opposite ends of said worm, one ofsaid bushings being :engageable by the adjacent end ofsaid worm whensaid Worm gear is urged in one directiomand antifriction means forpreventingthe other 'end of said worm from engaging its correspondingbushing when the worm gear is urged in the opposite direction. a

3. In a window regulaton'a reversible electric motor, a worm driven bysaid motor, a Worm gear operatively connected to said worm, the shape ofsaid worm and worm gear teeth being such as to permit said worm gear tonormally drive said worm in either direction, linkage means forconnecting said worm gear to a movable window, said worm gear beingrotated in one direction when said window is closed and in the oppositedirection when i said window is opened, a pair of bushings supportingthe opposite ends of said worm, one of said bushings being engageable bythe adjacent end of said worm when said 7 worm gear is urged in onedirection, and ball thrust bearing means operable when said worm gear isurged in the opposite direction to take the thrust load on said worm,whereby the opposite end of said worm is prevented from engagement withitsrcorresponding bushing. V

4. In combination, a shaft, means forconnecting a driver to said shaft,a worm on said shaftlhaving opposite end faces, a pair of bushingssupporting said worm'shaft on opposite sides of'said worm, one of saidbushings being frictionally engageable with its corresponding worm 'endface, the other of said bushings being spacedjfrorn its correspondingworm end face an:anti-frictionthrust support for said worm shaftadjacent said last-mentioned bushing, the dimensions of said .thrustsupportbeing such as totmaintain the spaced relationship betweensaidother bushing and worm end face, and a worm gear sector, a powertransmission unit supportedby said mounts ingrplate, said unit having aworm driven by said electric motor, a worm gear meshing with saidwo'rm,:the,

shape of said worm and worm gear teeth beingisuch as r to normallypermit said worm gear to drive said worm iu'either direction, an outputpinion directly connected 1 'to said worm gear and meshing with saidgear sector,

means for braking said power transmission unit when said linkage isurged in a window-opening direction by an outsideforce, said meanscomprising a frictional thrust support for said worm-when urged in onedirection by said worm gear, and means, for preventing braking of saidpower transmission unit when said linkageis urged by an outside force ina window-closing direction, said last-mentioned means comprisingananti-friction thrust support for said worm when urged in the oppositedirec-'' tion.

6. In combination, a'shaft,'means for connecting a driver to said shaft,a worm on said shaft, a worm gear operatively meshing Withsaid worm andadapted .to be connected to a driven member, the shape of said worm andworm gear teethbeing such as to normally permit said worm gear to drivesaid worm .in either direction,

a frictional thrust support for preventing movement of i said worm shaftin one axial direction, and an anti-friction support for preventingmovement of said worm shaft in the other axial direction, whereby saidwormgear is capable of driving said worm in one direction only.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED "STATES PATENTS1,500,765 Norwood ct al. July 8, 1924 2,085,032 Lucht et a1 V.;.... June29, 1937 2,267,577 Rizor 'Dec. 23, 1941 2,324,145 Floraday 'July 13,1943 2,331,260 Wiseman Oct. 5, 1943 2,679,392

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